BIMSTEC Summit 2025 / BIMSTEC had become just a name, then PM Modi revived it like this

The BIMSTEC summit is being held in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, in which leaders of seven countries including India are participating. Established in 1997, this organization gained momentum after 2016. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, concrete efforts were made to make BIMSTEC an effective platform for regional cooperation.

BIMSTEC Summit 2025: The BIMSTEC summit is being organized in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, in which the heads of seven countries including India are participating. BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was established in 1997, but after 2016 this organization got new momentum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has played an important role in reviving BIMSTEC and making it a strong regional cooperation platform.

India's role in strengthening BIMSTEC

During the BRICS conference held in Goa in 2016, Prime Minister Modi convened a meeting of BIMSTEC leaders and resolved to strengthen it. This move was an important sign towards establishing BIMSTEC as an alternative to SAARC, especially when the SAARC summit was canceled due to India-Pakistan tensions.

BIMSTEC expanded rapidly under India's leadership. In 2019, Prime Minister Modi increased the relevance and visibility of the organization by inviting the leaders of BIMSTEC countries to his swearing-in ceremony. His 'Neighbourhood First Policy' and 'Act East Policy' gave new energy to BIMSTEC. Additionally, the Prime Minister's 'Ocean Vision' and 'Indo-Pacific Vision' gave a new direction to the organization.

BIMSTEC Charter and Regional Cooperation

The BIMSTEC Charter was finalized under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and approved at the fifth summit in 2022. He presented the vision of making this organization a bridge of connectivity, prosperity and security in the Bay of Bengal region. India emphasized on promoting cooperation in 14 areas such as trade, investment, environment, terrorism and climate change. With the help of India's support and resources, the functionality of BIMSTEC has increased significantly.

Roles of BIMSTEC member countries

Apart from India, BIMSTEC includes Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Myanmar. Each country is assigned specific functions within the organisation:

India – Security
Bangladesh – Trade, Investment and Development
Bhutan – Environment and Climate
Myanmar – Agriculture and Food Security
Nepal – People-to-People and Cultural Engagement
Sri Lanka – Science, Technology and Innovation
Thailand – Connectivity

Recent Major BIMSTEC Activities

Several major programmes and initiatives have been launched under BIMSTEC, including:

February 2024: BIMSTEC Aquatic Championship in Delhi
August 2024: BIMSTEC Business Summit in Delhi
November 2024: Participation of BIMSTEC Cultural Troupe in Bali Yatra in Cuttack
February 2025: BIMSTEC Pavilion at Surajkund Mela
February 2025: BIMSTEC Youth Summit in Ahmedabad
February 2025: BIMSTEC Youth-led Climate Change Conference in Delhi
February 2024: BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network launched